Image processing apparatus and image processing method

ABSTRACT

In accordance with an embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes an image reading section configured to read an original document and generate image data, the image data corresponding to the original document or a part of the original document. The image processing apparatus further comprises a control panel including a document area for displaying a plurality of images, the plurality of images including an image which corresponds to the image data. The control panel is configured to receive input designating the image corresponding to the image data and at least one other image from the plurality of images. The image processing apparatus also includes a controller, which in response to a user instruction, generates an aggregation image including the image corresponding to the image data and the at least one other image from the plurality of images.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromJapanese Patent Application No. 2017-133895, filed Jul. 7, 2017, theentire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate generally to an image processingapparatus and an image processing method.

BACKGROUND

If a plurality of original documents such as photographs is aggregatedon one sheet, for example, by an image processing apparatus reading aplurality of original documents placed on a document table, or by animage processing apparatus aggregating the original documents with apage aggregation function of Nin1, and the like. However, if a pluralityof original documents is placed on the document table, there areproblems such as orientation of the original documents becomingunbalanced, which results in unattractiveness. Moreover, depending onthe number or sizes of the original documents, all the originaldocuments cannot be placed on the document table in some instances. Ifthe page aggregation function is used, the size of the original documentis reduced and aggregated. Therefore, if it is desirable to maintain theoriginal size of the original document, there is a case in which thesetting becomes very complicated, for example, when designating amagnification function of a reduction ratio document after aggregation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an external view exemplifying the overall constitution of animage processing apparatus according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating the functionalcomponents of the image processing apparatus according to theembodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of generation of anaggregation image according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of a processing ofgenerating the aggregation image according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a case ofselecting a finishing mode according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a case ofselecting an arbitrary aggregation mode according to the embodiment; and

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a case ofselecting whether to execute continuous reading according to theembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with an embodiment, an image processing apparatus includesan image reading section configured to read an original document andgenerate image data, the image data corresponding to the originaldocument or apart of the original document. The image processingapparatus further comprises a control panel including a document areafor displaying a plurality of images, the plurality of images includingan image which corresponds to the image data. The control panel isconfigured to receive input designating the image corresponding to theimage data and at least one other image from the plurality of images.The image processing apparatus also includes a controller, which inresponse to a user instruction, generates an aggregation image includingthe image corresponding to the image data and the at least one otherimage from the plurality of images Hereinafter, an image processingapparatus and an image processing method of an embodiment are describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an external view exemplifying the overall constitution of animage processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment. The imageprocessing apparatus 100 is, for example, an image forming apparatussuch as a multi-functional peripheral. The image processing apparatus100 includes a display 110, a control panel 120, a printer 130, a sheethousing section 140 and an image reading section 200. Furthermore, theprinter 130 of the image processing apparatus 100 is a device for fixinga toner image.

The image processing apparatus 100 reads an image on a sheet andgenerates digital data to generate an image file. The sheet is, forexample, an original document or a paper on which characters and imagesare recorded. The sheet may be an another object as long as it can beread by the image processing apparatus 100.

The display 110 is an image display device such as a liquid crystaldisplay, an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display and the like. Thedisplay 110 displays various information on the image processingapparatus 100.

The control panel 120 includes a plurality of buttons. The control panel120 receives an operation by a user. The control panel 120 outputs asignal in response to an operation executed by the user to a controllerof the image processing apparatus 100. Furthermore, the display 110 andthe control panel 120 may be constituted as an integrated touch panel.The control panel 120 is an aspect of a reception section.

The printer 130 forms an image on a sheet based on image informationgenerated by the image reading section 200 or image information receivedthrough a communication path. The printer 130 forms an image through thefollowing processing, for example. An image forming section of theprinter 130 forms an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductivedrum based on the image information. The image forming section of theprinter 130 forms a visible image by attaching a developer to theelectrostatic latent image. Toner is exemplified as a concrete exampleof the developer. A transfer section of the printer 130 transfers thevisible image onto the sheet. A fixing section of the printer 130 fixesthe visible image on the sheet by heating and pressurizing the sheet.The sheet on which the image is formed may be a sheet housed in thesheet housing section 140, or a sheet that is manually fed.

The sheet housing section 140 houses the sheet used in the imageformation by the printer 130.

The image reading section 200 reads image information of an object to beread as intensity of light. The image reading section 200 records theread image information. The recorded image information may betransmitted to another information processing apparatus via a network.The recorded image information maybe used to form an image on a sheet bythe printer 130. The image information is constituted by a documentimage corresponding to the read object and a background image which is apart other than the read object.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the functional components of theimage processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment. The imageprocessing apparatus 100 includes a communication section 101, a readingimage storage section 102, an aggregation image storage section 103, acontroller 104, the display 110, the control panel 120, the printer 130and the image reading section 200.

The communication section 101 is a network interface. The communicationsection 101 communicates with an external terminal via a network. Thecommunication section 101 may perform communication by a communicationmethod such as a LAN (Local Area Network), a PSTN (Public SwitchedTelephone Network), a NFC (Near Field Communication), or the like.

The reading image storage section 102 is a storage device, such as amagnetic hard disk device or a semiconductor storage device. The readingimage storage section 102 stores image information read by the imagereading section 200.

The aggregation image storage section 103 is a storage device such as amagnetic hard disk device or a semiconductor storage device. Theaggregation image storage section 103 stores an aggregation image. Theaggregation image is an image obtained by collecting image informationof plural original documents, independently generated into one image.The aggregation image contains plural images.

The controller 104 controls the operation of each section of the imageprocessing apparatus 100. The controller 104 is a device including, forexample, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a RAM (Random AccessMemory). The controller 104 functions as a trimming section 105 and anaggregation image generation section 106 by executing an imageprocessing program.

The trimming section 105 trims the read image information. Specifically,the trimming section 105 removes the background image included in theread image information from the image information. The trimming section105 acquires, as the document image, an image that is not removed fromthe read image information. The trimming section 105 outputs theacquired document image to the aggregation image generation section 106.The trimming section 105 may trim the image information using awell-known method.

The aggregation image generation section 106 generates the aggregationimage. Specifically, the aggregation image generation section 106 adds apredetermined partial image to the aggregation image according to aninput received from the user. The partial image indicates a part of theread image. The partial image is added to the aggregation image andconstitutes a part of the aggregation image. The predetermined partialimage may be the document image received from the trimming section 105or the image information stored in the reading image storage section102. The aggregation image generation section 106 stores the aggregationimage in the aggregation image storage section 103. The aggregationimage generation section 106 enables the printer 130 to print theaggregation image.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of generation of theaggregation image according to the embodiment. An area 300 shows aspecific example of an editing screen of the aggregation image. The area300 includes an area 301, an area 302, an area 303, an area 304, an area305, an area 306, an area 307, an area 308, and an area 309. Theaggregation image generation section 106 executes processing relating togeneration of the aggregation image.

The area 301 indicates the document area. In the document area, thedocument image output from the trimming section 105 and the imageinformation stored in the reading image storage section 102, aredisplayed. The image displayed in the document area is displayed as athumbnail image having a predetermined size. The predetermined size maybe, for example, 3 cm in length and 4 cm in width.

The area 302 indicates a sheet size at the time of printing. The area302 includes the area 303 therein. The area 303 is used for receiving aselection instruction of the sheet size. If the area 303 is selected,selectable sheet sizes (for example, A4 or A3) are displayed in a listformat in the area 302. The area 303 enables the selected sheet size tobe displayed in the area 302. Depending on the selected sheet size, asize of the aggregation image shown in the area 304 is magnified orreduced.

The area 304 indicates the aggregation image being edited. Theaggregation image is an image in which plural original documents arearbitrarily arranged. The area 304 includes an area 341, a dotted arrow342, a dotted line 343, and an area 344. The area 341 and the area 344indicate the document images arranged in the aggregation image by theuser.

The area 341 shows the document image selected and moved from thedocument area of the area 301. The document image in the area 341 is animage (hereinafter, referred to as a “second image”) secondly displayedin the document area. The second image is selected from the area 301 viathe control panel 120. The selected second image is slid to a desiredplace in the area 341. The second image is displayed at a position wherethe sliding movement of the area 341 is stopped. The dotted line arrow342 indicates the trajectory of the second image which is slid. Thedotted line arrow 342 is an image recorded for the purpose ofdescription and is not displayed on the display 110. The second image isdisplayed by being surrounded by the dotted line 343.

The image surrounded by the dotted line 343 indicates an image to whicha predetermined processing can be executed through the control panel120. For example, the predetermined processing is shown in the area 305.

The area 344 is the document image arranged in the aggregation image. Ifthe document image in the area 344 is selected via the control panel120, the dotted line 343 is displayed to surround the area 344. If thedotted line 343 is displayed to surround the area 344, the dotted line343 surrounding the second image is not displayed. The user can executethe processing displayed in the area 305 on the document image shown inthe area 344 via the control panel 120.

The area 305 shows an editing processing executable on the documentimage contained in the area 304. The area 305 includes an area 351, anarea 352, an area 353, an area 354, an area 355, an area 356, and anarea 357. The area 351 to the area 357 are used to receive aninstruction from the user via the control panel 120. The area 351 to thearea 357 are used to execute a predetermined processing in response tothe instruction from the user.

The area 351 shows an original size button. If the original size buttonis selected, the aggregation image generation section 106 sets theselected document image (the image surrounded by the dotted line 343) inthe area 341 to its original size. The original size is a size of thedocument image in the state in which the document image is not magnifiedor reduced.

The area 352 shows a +button and a −button. If the +button is selected,the aggregation image generation section 106 magnifies the selecteddocument image. The magnification is a processing of displaying thedocument image by magnifying the document image while maintaining anaspect ratio of the document image. Depending on the number of times orthe length of time the +button is selected, the aggregation imagegeneration section 106 magnifies the document image.

If the −button is selected, the aggregation image generation section 106reduces the selected document image. The reduction is a processing ofdisplaying the document image by reducing the document image whilemaintaining the aspect ratio of the document image. Depending on thenumber of times or the length of time the −button is selected, theaggregation image generation section 106 reduces the document image.

The area 353 indicates an original angle button. If the original anglebutton is selected, the aggregation image generation section 106 setsthe selected image to the original angle. The original angle is an angleof the document image in a state in which the document image is notrotated left or right.

The area 354 indicates a left rotation button and a right rotationbutton. If the left rotation button is selected, the aggregation imagegeneration section 106 rotates the selected document imagecounterclockwise. Depending on the number of times or the length of timethe left rotation button is selected, the aggregation image generationsection 106 rotates the document image counterclockwise. If the rightrotation button is selected, the aggregation image generation section106 rotates the selected document image clockwise. Depending on thenumber of times or the length of time the right rotation button isselected, the aggregation image generation section 106 rotates thedocument image clockwise.

The area 355 indicates a trimming button. If the trimming button isselected, the aggregation image generation section 106 trims theselected document image. Specifically, the aggregation image generationsection 106 receives designation of an arbitrary area included in theselected document image via the control panel 120. The aggregation imagegeneration section 106 acquires the area that receives the designationand removes the other areas.

The area 356 shows a delete button. If the delete button is selected,the aggregation image generation section 106 removes the selecteddocument image from the area 304. The area 357 shows an addition buttonof the original document. If the addition button of the originaldocument is selected, the aggregation image generation section 106enables the image reading section 200 to read the new original document.The aggregation image generation section 106 displays the newly readimage information in the document area of the area 301.

The area 306 indicates a scroll bar. The area 306 is a scroll bar whichis vertically moved. The scroll bar is displayed if the aggregationimage cannot be completely displayed on the display 110. If the scrollbar is selected and operated, the aggregation image generation section106 scrolls the aggregation image. A scroll bar for horizontally movingmay be displayed at the bottom of the area 304.

The area 307 indicates a cancel button. If the cancel button isselected, the aggregation image generation section 106 terminates thearbitrary aggregation mode and displays a mode selection screen(described later) on the display 110. The arbitrary aggregation mode isa mode in which one or more images are added on one image and theaggregation image is generated by further changing the size and theorientation of the added image.

The area 308 indicates a storage button. If the storage button isselected, the aggregation image generation section 106 terminates thearbitrary aggregation mode and stores the aggregation image displayed inthe area 304 in the aggregation image storage section 103. The area 309indicates a printing button. If the printing button is selected, theaggregation image generation section 106 terminates the arbitraryaggregation mode and enables the printer 130 to print the aggregationimage displayed in the area 304.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the process of generatingthe aggregation image according to the embodiment. The control panel 120of the image processing apparatus 100 receives an instruction of afinishing mode from the user (ACT 101).

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a case ofselecting the finishing mode according to the embodiment. An area 400shows a specific example of a mode selection screen displayed on thedisplay 110. The area 400 includes an area 401. The area 401 is used forshifting to the screen for selecting the finishing mode of the printedsheet. The controller 104 shifts to the finishing mode by receiving theselection of the area 401 from the user through the control panel 120.The finishing mode is a mode for determining a finishing state of theprinted sheet. In the finishing mode, for example, whether sheets aresorted and discharged, the direction of the discharged sheet, andwhether the arbitrary aggregation is performed are determined.

Returning to FIG. 4, the description of the flowchart is continued. Thecontrol panel 120 receives an instruction of an arbitrary aggregationmode from the user (ACT 102). FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating aspecific example of a case of selecting the arbitrary aggregation modeaccording to the embodiment. If the selection of the finishing mode isreceived from the user, an area 500 is superimposed on the area 400 tobe displayed on the display 110. The area 500 shows a specific exampleof a screen indicating the finishing mode. The area 500 includes an area501. The area 501 is used for shifting to the arbitrary aggregationmode. The controller 104 shifts to the arbitrary aggregation mode byreceiving the selection of the area 501 from the user through thecontrol panel 120.

Returning to FIG. 4, the description of the flowchart is continued. Theimage reading section 200 of the image processing apparatus 100 readsthe arranged original document (ACT 103). The image reading section 200generates the image information from the read original document. Thetrimming section 105 acquires the document image from the imageinformation and outputs the acquired document image to the aggregationimage generation section 106 (ACT 104).

The control panel 120 receives an instruction from the user on whetherto continue reading (ACT 105). FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating aspecific example of a case of selecting whether to execute thecontinuous reading according to the embodiment. If the original documentis read, an area 600 is superimposed on the area 400 and the area 500 tobe displayed on the display 110. The area 600 shows a specific exampleof a screen for receiving a selection of whether to continuously readthe original document. The area 600 includes an area 601 and an area602. The area 601 is used for selecting continuous reading of theoriginal document. The controller 104 enables the image reading section200 to read the original document by receiving the selection of the area601 from the user through the control panel 120. The area 602 is usedfor making a selection to terminate reading of the original document.The controller 104 enables the image reading section 200 to terminatethe reading of the original document by receiving the selection of thearea 602 from the user through the control panel 120.

Returning to FIG. 4, the description of the flowchart is continued. Thecontroller 104 determines whether or not the received instruction is thecontinuous reading instruction (ACT 106). If the received instruction isthe continuous reading instruction (Yes in ACT 106), the flow proceedsto the processing in ACT 103. If the received instruction is not thecontinuous reading instruction (No in ACT 106), the controller 104displays the arbitrary aggregation screen including the aggregationimage on the display 110 (ACT 107).

The aggregation image generation section 106 receives an instructionfrom the user via the control panel 120 (ACT 108). The aggregation imagegeneration section 106 determines whether or not the receivedinstruction is a storage instruction (ACT 109). If the receivedinstruction is the storage instruction (Yes in ACT 109), the aggregationimage generation section 106 stores the aggregation image in theaggregation image storage section 103, and terminates the processing(ACT 110).

If the received instruction is not the storage instruction (No in ACT109), it is determined whether or not the received instruction is aprinting instruction (ACT 111). If the received instruction is theprinting instruction (Yes in ACT 111), the aggregation image generationsection 106 enables the printer 130 to print the aggregation image andterminates the processing (ACT 112).

If the received instruction is not the printing instruction (No in ACT111), the aggregation image generation section 106 processes theaggregation image according to the received instruction and shifts tothe processing in ACT 108 (ACT 113). Specifically, it is a processing asshown in FIG. 3.

In the image processing apparatus 100 as described above, theaggregation image generation section 106 generates the aggregation imageobtained by aggregating a plurality of images into one image. Theaggregation image generation section 106 prints the generatedaggregation image. Therefore, the user can print a plurality of theoriginal documents by aggregating them into one sheet. As a specificusage example, for example, both sides of a license can be printed onone sheet.

Furthermore, the aggregation image generation section 106 returns thesize and angle of the original document to the original state with onebutton even if the size and angle of the original document in thedocument image included in the aggregation image are changed. Theaggregation image generation section 106 can change the sheet size whileediting the aggregation image. Therefore, even if a plurality of imagesis arranged at an equal magnification, it is possible to easily select asheet size containing all the images.

In the above embodiments, the aggregation image generation section 106is a software functional section, but it may be a hardware functionalsection such as a LSI.

According to at least one embodiment described above, by having theaggregation image generation section 106, it is possible to print aplurality of the original documents more easily by aggregating them.

While certain embodiments of the present invention have been described,these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and arenot intended to limit the scope of the invention. Indeed, the novelembodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of otherforms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in theembodiments described herein may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention. The accompanying claims and their equivalentsare intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall withinthe scope and spirit of the invention. In these embodiments, a singleimage reading apparatus (e.g., scanner) without an image forming sectionsuch as the printer 130 may be contained.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image processing apparatus, comprising: animage reading section configured to read an original document andgenerate image data, the image data corresponding to the originaldocument or a part of the original document; a control panel including adocument area for displaying a plurality of images, the plurality ofimages including an image which corresponds to the image data, thecontrol panel configured to receive input designating the imagecorresponding to the image data and at least one other image from theplurality of images; and a controller, which in response to a userinstruction, generates an aggregation image including the imagecorresponding to the image data and the at least one other image fromthe plurality of images.
 2. The image processing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the control panel receives a size designationinstruction for designating a size of the aggregation image, and thecontroller generates the aggregation image with the size designated bythe size designation instruction.
 3. The image processing apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein the controller generates the aggregationimage in a form designated by an editing instruction.
 4. The imageprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control panelreceives an editing instruction for the image corresponding to the imagedata, and the controller generates the aggregation image including theimage corresponding to the image data in a form designated by theediting instruction.
 5. The image processing apparatus according toclaim 1, further comprising: a storage section configured to store theimage data.
 6. An image processing method by an image processingapparatus, comprising: reading an original document using a readingsection of the image processing apparatus to generate image data, theimage data corresponding to the original document or part of theoriginal document; receiving, at a control panel of the image processingapparatus, a designation of the image corresponding to the image dataand at least one additional image, the image corresponding to the imagedata and the at least one additional image displayed on a document areaof the control panel; and generating, in response to a user instructionand by a controller, an aggregation image including the imagecorresponding to the image data and the at least one additional image.7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving an instruction tochange the output size of the aggregation image.
 8. The method of claim6, further comprising receiving an instruction to adjust a relativeangle of the image corresponding to the image data.
 9. The method ofclaim 8, further comprising: after receiving the instruction to adjust arelative angle of the image corresponding to the image data, receivingan instruction to return the image corresponding to the image data to anoriginal angle of orientation.
 10. The method of claim 6, furthercomprising receiving an instruction to adjust a relative size of theimage corresponding to the image data.
 11. The method of claim 6,wherein the receiving a designation of an image corresponding to theimage data comprises receiving user input indicating movement of theimage corresponding to the image data from an document area to an outputimage section of the control panel.
 12. A controller for an apparatusconfigured to: read a first original document to generate first imagedata, the first image data corresponding to the first original document;perform a trimming operation to trim the first image to form a firstpartial image; read a second original document to generate second imagedata, the second image data corresponding to the second originaldocument; perform a trimming operation to trim the second image to forma second partial image; display the first partial image and the secondpartial image in an original document display section of a controlpanel; receiver a user selection of an arrangement of the first partialimage and the second partial image; and generate an aggregation imageincluding the first partial image and the second partial image asarranged by the user.
 13. The controller of claim 12, wherein thecontroller is further configured to receive an instruction to change theoutput size of the aggregation image.
 14. The controller of claim 12,wherein the controller is further configured to receive an instructionto adjust a relative angle of the first partial image or the secondpartial image after receiving the user selection of an arrangement. 15.The controller of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configuredto receive an instruction to return the first partial image or thesecond partial image to an original angle after receiving theinstruction to adjust the relative angle.
 16. The controller of claim12, wherein the controller is further configured to receive aninstruction to adjust a relative size of the first partial image or thesecond partial image.
 17. The controller of claim 16, wherein thecontroller is further configured to receive an instruction to acquireadditional image data corresponding to an additional original documentimage and to add the additional image data to memory.
 18. The controllerof claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to receive aninstruction to acquire additional image data corresponding to anadditional original document image and to add the additional image datato memory.
 19. The controller of claim 12, wherein the apparatus isfurther configured to receive an instruction to scale the first partialimage or the second partial image.
 20. The controller of claim 19,wherein the apparatus is further configured to receive an instruction todelete one of the first partial image or the second partial image.